The output of --keyspace can be used to distribute cracking, i.e. you can use the value from --keyspace and divide it into x chunks (best would be if the chunk size depends on the performance of your individual nodes if they are different) and use the -s/-l parameters for distributed cracking.

Ahhhh ... so they only need to be "proportional" within specific attack type/combos, and that's why they can't be compared across them! Because it's *called* a keyspace ... but it isn't really strictly an actual keyspace in the literal sense, just a way to divide up work within that attack.

(Hmm ... so in retrospect, using word other than "keyspace" (which means something specific in the general cracking context to most users) would have probably been better -- maybe "workset" or something like that). [Edit: yeah, what undeath said ]

Ahhhh ... so they only need to be "proportional" within specific attack type/combos, and that's why they can't be compared across them! Because it's *called* a keyspace ... but it isn't really strictly an actual keyspace in the literal sense, just a way to divide up work within that attack.

(Hmm ... so in retrospect, using word other than "keyspace" (which means something specific in the general cracking context to most users) would have probably been better -- maybe "workset" or something like that). [Edit: yeah, what undeath said ]

Now I finally get it. Thanks!

Please don't change --keyspace, hashtopussy, hashtopus, hashview all use it for distribution as does my skip and limit calculator.